


Summoning Courage

by thelastpunch



Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Friendship, Humor, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-15 11:39:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1303564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelastpunch/pseuds/thelastpunch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Former First Class SOLDIER'S Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos come across another mystery of the secretive Shinra Company. Led by none other than Professor Hojo himself, Project E has now found its way into their journey and become their first priority.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Shinra's Ignorance

Muriel fell to the floor without a second thought of the inevitable hard impact and her companion revelled in the impressive t _hump_ that followed.

“Why… in the hell of all hells… did I agree to do this?”

The young girl’s breath was hitching rapidly with exhaustion as she lay with her arms spread wide and her chest heaving.

A laugh followed “Because you’re the most stubborn woman out there, that’s why.”

Muriel groaned from her position on the cold apartment floor “Yeah but... it gets me places that’s for sure.”

“Yeah, 50 laps around the Shinra building, that’s where it’s getting you. I mean seriously Muriel, you’re going to get yourself killed.”

“Shut up, Luther.”

Muriel’s round brown eyes opened to see her older friend’s frowning face upon her, his much larger stature hovering over her smaller build.

“Luther, I’m not giving up now no matter how much you warn me about the consequences. I’m going to join SOLDIER whether they like it or not, and I don’t care whether I have to hide my gender or anything else from them. I’m going to prove them wrong by becoming the first woman SOLDIER from right under their noses.”

“For Minerva’s sake... Do what you want then, but I swear, if you come back paralysed next time I’m only going to say ‘I told you so.’”

Luther pulled his hands off his hips and soon Muriel could only hear his heavy boots thumping throughout his small apartment.

“Well don’t get your hopes up!”

 A fluorescent light hung from the corner of the room, illuminating the rotting floorboards and moulding roof, once again reminding Muriel of her whereabouts. The Sector 5 slums were so different to everywhere else that to Muriel, coming back from the upper plate really pointed out the social statuses in Midgar.

A horrid smell reached the girl’s nose and Muriel sniffed at herself. Her cadet uniform was absolutely reeking from the morning’s drills and she desperately needed a shower. Hoping that Luther hadn’t taken the conversation to heart, she slowly got up from her position on the ground and made her way to the kitchen.

“Mind if I have a shower before I go back to the base?”

Luther turned to her, flipping his blonde locks over his menacing dark eyes. “Hurry it up.”

“Yes sir!”

Muriel smiled and gave her oldest friend a mock salute, running into the bathroom and ignoring the tension building in her aching muscles.

“You know-“ A call came through the bathroom door, “I’m surprised they haven’t figured out your agenda yet.“

Muriel stepped into the steaming draft of water, sighing as her muscles started to relax under the calming spray.

“I think even if you hung a sign on my back they wouldn’t notice,” she called back, “but believe me, if they did there would be trouble.”

A grimace pulled at Muriel’s face as she thought about the hoards of drilled young men throughout the Shinra walls.

A bellowing laugh broke through the door separating them, “I suppose it could be compared to a bull in the mating season yes?”

“Not something I wanted to hear- but yes, something of the sort.”

More of the same low chuckle echoed through Muriel’s ears as she stepped out of the shower and busied herself with drying her short dark hair. She had been immensely annoyed when she had to cut it, but it did suit her well even if it did make her look boyish.  After binding her chest once again and re-dressing into a clean uniform she kept in the creaking cupboards, she exited the fogged bathroom. The disguised cadet found her friend sitting on the peeling leather couch, drinking straight from an old bottle of scotch.

“Classy.”

“You can talk,” he replied.

“Hah!”

Muriel settled her helmet on her head, small bangs stuck through the visor and Luther held back from laughing at the sight.

“I expect my uniform to be washed by the time I’m back, drunkard!”

“Yeah, yeah...”

Luther watched his friend’s hidden female form retreat and shut the shabby door behind her, and once again wondered about the wits in the Shinra building. Running a hand through his tousled hair and delving back into his liquor, Luther ignored the thoughts of her inevitable discovery amongst the ranks and focused on supporting his friend.

“Be careful, Muriel.”

 

* * *

 

Muriel walked down the slum streets and reached the train station leading to the inner parts of Sector 8, kids were running around playfully on the platforms and one even waved to her.

However, outside the Shinra Building wasn’t so pleasant. A crowd surrounded the front doors as another group of what she assumed were newly recruited Cadets, preparing for their initiation. The small cadet watched as a group of her comrades walked back to the train station, a tall man wearing the garb of a first class SOLDIER were leading them on their way.

Muriel narrowed her dark eyes, “Must be a mission, those lucky bastards...”

She squeezed past the crowd and into the building, taking the spacious elevator up to floor 47 to meet her roommate in their allocated bunks.

Once the doors slid open Muriel stuck her head around the corner and stared in shock.

There was no one, absolutely nothing in sight.

“What the hell? It’s usually packed around here…”

Muriel guided herself down the empty corridors, humming the first tune that popped into her head. The rooms surrounding her were generally used for housing the cadets wishing to be tested for SOLDIER and therefore, Muriel expected it to be outrun with cocky teens and burly men.

“Huh, what a nice change.”

Muriel stopped in her tracks and thought back to the crowds of Shinra Army Members standing 47 floors below her, “Oh shi-“

The now anxious cadet glanced at her watch with horror, “SHIT!”

Heavy feet carried her as fast as she could back to the elevator, hitting the return button with impatience, and taking her to the ground floor once again. The doors barely had time to slide open before the sight of a dishevelled cadet running through the main entrance greeted the employees in the reception.  
“I can’t miss it, I can’t!”

The crowds had thinned; the small group she had spotted earlier were nowhere in sight as Muriel’s feet once again hastily carried her back to the train station. After five minutes of sprinting, disappointment and horror hit her hard in the face once again.

A tall man smiled at the cadet in front of him “do you need help sir?”

“Uh... Yes, yes I really do!”

The station attendant seemed a little taken back but still held his ground, “have you seen a group of Shinra army cadets such as myself walk by here?”

There could still be hope, though Muriel doubted it very much.

“Why yes, they just got on the last train leading to the outer edge.” Muriel struggled not to cry as the doom flooded her.

She had missed the SOLDIER recruitments. This year’s work was all for nothing and there was no way, with such an unorganised attendance, that any sane officer would allow her to retake it now.

“Sir, are you alright?”

Muriel looked up through her helmet visor to see the frown upon to attendant’s face, the annoyance of being called ‘Sir’ caused her heart to pound even more so.

“Just fine.”

 

* * *

  

Floor 47 of the Shinra building was just as empty as it was before and the glum walk of the long hall to her dorm wasn’t making Muriel’s mood any better.

“I’m such an idiot… Maybe Luther was right after all, I’m not cut out for this.”

Muriel lazily glanced around the hallways before taking off her helmet and ruffling out the short wavy strands of hair as she walked the rest of the way to her shared room. She was sure her partner Dion would have made it to the recruitment on time, so the apartment was all hers for tonight, or perhaps even the next few days.  
A beep from the elevator snapped Muriel back into her wits and as she heard protruding footsteps advance towards her, she jumped into one of the small walkways spraying out of the main hall.

‘Hmm. Awfully quiet, what a blessing...”

The voice sounded oddly familiar to Muriel, and she realised why a moment later, the figure walked straight past her and she froze in his wake.

“Professor?” Muriel mentally slapped herself out of her curious daze, and corrected her tone, “did you need help finding someone?”

Long strands of black hair hung over his rounded glasses as Hojo looked down on his unexpected guest, he smirked with disturbing glee as Muriel swallowed with anxiety.

“What a wonder...” A glance at the professor told Muriel that she had made one too many mistakes in one day, “I don’t suppose you’re lost my dear?”

Professor Hojo’s sing song voice put Muriel on edge and her eyes widened as they focused in on the helmet in her hand. She had never taken it off in front of anyone, let alone one of the most influential people within the company.

“I... I can explain, if you would jus-“

“Oh there’s no need dear, I think I can see everything just fine from where I’m standing.”

Muriel was astonished with how he stood in front of her, slightly hunched in his ironed lab coat, without any shock on his face at all.

Perhaps this had happened before within Shinra recruitments?

The exposed cadet glimpsed behind her to find a small closet unit, there was nowhere to escape and Muriel had no idea what Professor Hojo had in mind concerning her untimely discovery. He would surely get her kicked out of the company as soon as he left.

She sighed, “So you caught me-“

“-Indeed I have,” Hojo interrupted, “and I suppose now your wondering what on earth I’m going to do about it. Yes?”

The professor’s glaze quite frankly scared Muriel and stopped her from moving, the thought of running past him did occur to her, although she didn’t see any point in it.

Muriel lowered her eyes to the ground and nodded.

“I suppose to keep this covered you’ve had to make a very low profile for yourself, am I right my dear?”

The young girl narrowed her eyes with suspicion but nodded again all the same.

“Well then, you wont be missed from this company I’m sure.”

At first Muriel thought it was a simple statement but began thinking about the truth behind his words, she knew something was wrong immediately. Hojo’s hand darted out of his inner coat pocket and before she could meet his gaze, something sharp was jabbed into her exposed neck. A shriek left her lips as she felt the needle slide out of her skin and clatter onto the floor.

“What, what the hell have you-“

A rush of dizziness nearly left Muriel on the ground but she staggered against the opposing wall before the initial fall.

“Uh-uh-uh-”

Hojo clicked his tongue at her and slowly crouched down as his drugged opposition slid down the white walls onto the floor in front of him. Muriel’s dazed round eyes looked up at him with fear, she couldn’t feel her body beneath her and her vision slowly started to black out despite her mind’s refusal to let it.

“That’s for me to know, and you to find out, my dear specimen.”


	2. Fugitives

_TWO YEARS LATER_

Genesis had been missing for little over a fortnight and Angeal was starting to worry, he paced back and forth in Sephiroth’s apartment running his hand through his raven hair.

“I don’t understand why he would leave at this very moment without any warning, he knows better than that.”

Sephiroth lifted his gaze from the book in his grasp, “does he now?”

Angeal turned to him with a look of annoyance, “this is not the time for your little rivalry Sephiroth.”

Long silver hair covered his face as Sephiroth looked back to his book and crossed his right leg over the other. It was true that there was a rivalry between the two SOLDIERS, although they both knew that their friendship would keep it at bay in the worst situations.

“Genesis knows what he’s doing, there’s no need to worry about his safety.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean that his position within Shinra will not be compromised!”

Angeal slumped down next to Sephiroth on the couch, looking to the small green book was nested in his lap.

Sephiroth sighed and turned his gaze to what he supposed was his only friend at this time.

“As I said, Genesis knows what he’s doing and that includes the consequences involved with deserting.”

Sephiroth’s deep voice resonated within his spacious apartment and Angeal found comfort in his companion’s determination on the subject.

The bigger man stood up from the couch with a sigh, gathered his buster sword from the other side of the room and lowered it onto his back.

“I better report back to Director Lazard, I came here straight after we landed.”

“If you would like to continue on the subject, I think the Director will have a few ideas to contribute.”

Angeal nodded, focusing his gaze in front of him until he was out of the apartment and into the 50th floor hallways.

Something was horribly wrong and he knew it.

 

* * *

 

“I believe that second class SOLDIER Zackary Fair is ready for a promotion Director.”

Lazard straightened his glasses and leaned back in his chair to better see his guest, he studied the first class SOLDIER but found no doubt in his eyes. His dominating figure was composed and the leader of the department nodded agreeably. He was surprised that Angeal was so in control when the news of the desertion of his closest friend was running through the company’s veins.

“Interesting, I’ll look into it. Now onto other matters, Genesis Rhapsodos- as I’m sure your here to discuss, is still missing.”

Lazard saw the slight hunch in Angeal’s shoulders in that moment, but carried on nevertheless.

“A search mission is heading out the Wutai tomorrow to search an area where reports of his whereabouts have been posted. Now, I know that sending both Sephiroth and yourself is a given, I would also like you to gather a small group of SOLDIERS to be taken along to dispatch of the Wutai troops rebelling in the city.”

Lazard switched on a screen displaying Genesis’ profile and the mission description after some difficulties he had with the controls.

Lazard adjusted his glasses after sitting down again, “sorry about that, I’m not particularly good with technology.”

Angeal exhaled a light chuckle despite of the circumstances, “I can sympathise.”

Lazard shared a brief smile with his subordinate and pointed to the screen monitor above the briefing table.

“Sephiroth has already been briefed and all there is left to do is gather enough SOLDIERS before leaving for Wutai. This Zackary Fair you mentioned, I will come along on the mission and oversee his advances to determine his promotion.”

“He’ll excel, though his overconfidence may hinder him somewhat...”

Angeal sighed in reminder of his student’s puppy-like resemblance and enthusiasm, taking a mental note to tell him to not over do it.

“This mission is strictly to defeat any Wutai troops in the nearby area, but if Genesis is apprehended in the meantime, that would be a great advantage.”

“Understood, I’ll assemble the men and be ready to leave by morning.”

 

* * *

  

The mission was going relatively well, Zack had defeated many Wutai troops inside the walls and was now returning to Angeal’s position to regroup. The young SOLDIER spotted his mentor standing with Director Lazard on the dirt road ahead and ran to meet up with them with an enthusiastic step.

“Well, we showed them! So what now?”

Zack smiled with confidence at his new company and ignored Angeal’s hard stare as he sheathed his sword and continued grinning.

A crunching sounded behind them and Angeal swiftly turned to face a group of Wutai troops, at least three were already advancing towards them. He readied his stance and gripped a much smaller sword then the one strapped to his back.

“Zack! Get the Director back to the safe zone!”

“Angeal-“ Zack stared in shock as he turned to look at Lazard, who looked equally apprehensive.

“Go!”

“Uh-“ He hesitated until the sight of Angeal holding his own against the troops made up his mind, “lets get out of here, quick!”

Zack motioned for Lazard to run ahead of him and the sight of the two men retreating let Angeal focus on the enemy. Angeal rolled away from a spear stabbed in his direction, following up with an upward slice to the troop appearing in front of him. The injured man fell back and Angeal continued to slice his way through the flesh around him, his brute strength overpowering anyone within reach.

Two troops remained and the large SOLDIER tightened his grip on his broadsword, he stood still as one of the troops ran and swung his katana. Angeal blocked the swipe and pushed the troop over onto his back, a coughing wheeze escaped from underneath his headgear. Angeal swiftly stabbed his injured opponent whilst dodging a bullet shot in his direction. There wasn’t enough time to find his last hidden foe and Angeal rolled behind a nearby tree to stop the open fire from hitting him. With his back pressed against the tree, Angeal quickly glanced over his shoulder to see where the spray of bullets was coming from. Inhaling his breath to steady his aim, Angeal jumped from behind the tree, avoiding fire and threw the sword across the dirt road separating him from his opponent. A cry illuminated around him, the ground was smeared with blood and Angeal wondered if any was his.

After a quick pat down of his own blood-covered body, Angeal confirmed himself unharmed and returned to his last foe’s side to retrieve his broadsword. He pulled the protruding weapon from the troop’s chest and frowned when looking upon the destruction he had caused.

“You always were brutal in battle.”

Angeal’s eyes widened, he turned around with anticipation and wasn’t disappointed to see a man clad in a red leather coat. He would have smiled were it not for their circumstances, he quickly glanced at his friend up and down, checking for any injuries but only finding his usual cocky smirk upon his face.

“Genesis, where have you-“

“Miss me did you?”

Angeal stared in shock, he frowned and stepped closer to his oldest friend, he almost reached out to confirm he was indeed real but instead restrained himself. Angeal didn’t answer his question, but instead turned his attention back to the bodies littering the ground around him.

“Why have you suddenly decided to expose yourself?”

Genesis flipped his red hair out of his face briefly before answering, “because you also deserve to know the truth.”

Angeal ignored his cryptic behaviour and asked the first thing on his mind, still staring at the bloodied mess around them.

“Where are the SOLDIERS that came with you Genesis?”

“You’re looking right at them.”

Angeal’s head jolted in an attempt to capture his friend’s gaze as he said the last words. Leaning down beside one of the troops sprayed on the floor, Angeal hesitated to look beneath the helmet; his hand hovered over the concealment.

“Don’t play games Genesis...”

After he had taken the helmet off of the troop, he was immediately shocked. The face beneath him, one he was so fond of, was covered in blood.

“No… That’s not possible, you’re right-”

“Here, I know. That obviously isn’t me Angeal, they’re copies and nothing more.”

Angeal blinked several times to focus his vision once more as he took in the sight of Genesis’ face beneath the mask, but also standing above him as if nothing had happened. The larger SOLDIER ran a gloved hand along the cheek of the deceased copy if only to prove that it wasn’t real.

“I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t, I didn’t at first either.”

Angeal stood up ferociously, “than tell me what is happening Genesis! We’ve been in the dark long enough!”

Genesis sighed and walked to Angeal’s side, “these men didn’t desert with me, they were already dead from battles long before hand. Hollander gave them my genes and obviously- this happened.” He pointed to the scene around them.

“You’re telling me that these men were already dead,” He paused, “ and Hollander is with you?”

“Yes, he was the only one who had the proper information of my… Condition. And therefore he had to come with me.”

“Genesis... What has happened to you?” Angeal couldn’t stop himself any longer; he reached out and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, and sighed with relief at the embrace. He was actually there and real.

“A lot has happened, the Shinra bastards have betrayed us. I am soon to die if a cure isn’t found. Oh and most importantly, Hollander has been using my DNA for reasons other than research.”

A gloved hand pointed towards the unmasked copy below them once again. Angeal looked at him questionably, asking him to continue.

“The day in the training room when I was injured, you remember it don’t you?”

A nod followed suspiciously.

“The wound wouldn’t heal, even with your transfusion. Sephiroth couldn’t donate blood because his cells aren’t the same as ours, we’re different Angeal. A part of ‘Project G’, just some filthy Shinra research that happened to be of some use to them.”

Genesis’ lips turned up with disgust as he thought it over.

“We?”

“Yes. The both of us, my old friend.”

“What do you mean, are we talking about Mako exposure?” Angeal seemed doubtful of Genesis’ sudden information, he needed more proof to understand the situation at hand.

“They enhanced our Cell make-up with something superior, that’s all I about the experiments I’m afraid.”

“Genesis, you can’t expect me to outright believe that Shinra purposely experimented on the both of us without any proof. I think I would remember something such as that.”

Genesis laughed, “No you wouldn’t have. They’ve planned this since we were infants Angeal, we couldn’t have stopped it if we tried, and now they’re going to pay.”

Angeal looked over his friend, something big had happened that was for sure, but the SOLDIER wasn’t sure if he could believe such accusations.

“And Hollander told you this I suppose?”

Genesis sighed at his friend’s reluctance to believe him, he slowly raised his left hand to his forehead with a look of concentration, what happened next nearly took Angeal off his feet. A large raven’s wing had emerged from his left shoulder, expanding the width of the dirt road that they stood on and shadowing beautifully over the ground.

“There’s your proof Hewley, do you believe me now?”

Angeal blinked and walked closer with hesitation, he looked Genesis in the eyes and sensing his uncertainty, the redhead nodded in approval. Angeal gingerly lifted his broad arm and looked on carefully as his gloved hand stroked the wing protruding before him; at the slightest touch he jolted back as if touched by fire.

“And they did this... to the both of us?”

Genesis nodded, “I’m surprised your own _enhancements_ haven’t started to show.”

The word enhancements bothered him to no end but Angeal shook it off, he started to notice the worry on Genesis’ face and wondered if his looked the same.

“The wing it seems, isn’t even the best part, wait until you hear about the degradation.”

“The what?”

Both companions silenced as they heard running footsteps advancing towards them with.

“Angeal! Angeal where are you!“

“Oh, how wonderful.”

Genesis started to walk closer towards Zack’s loud echoes but Angeal stopped him before he could go further.

“Don’t hurt him Genesis, he’s not involved.”

“I imagine you would rip my head off if I were to hurt the puppy, that’s something I would like to avoid.”

Genesis’ wing retracted as the calls become louder and Angeal started to panic.

What was he to do with this information? Go back to Shinra like nothing took place?

“Come with me, I’ll explain everything further and we can work together.”

Angeal looked over Genesis with fondness, he needed to help his friend, but he was also loyal to Shinra.

“I’m not going to turn against Shinra.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

Zack’s voice became clearer with every second that passed, he was close by and Angeal knew he couldn’t waste any time thinking it over. He grabbed Genesis’ hand as he sprinted into the dense forest surrounding the road, pulling the redhead with him.

They both ran some distance into the forest before stopping to rest, there was no time to question things however and as Genesis’ wing came into Angeal’s sight once again, he started to wonder about their escape.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Lets get out of here before your puppy sniffs us out."

“Ah-huh, and just how are we going to leave without being spotted?”

Genesis looked to the sky and a small smile passed over his mouth, he did not think Angeal would like his answer.

“We’re going to fly, now get the hell over here before I leave you here stranded.”

Angeal couldn’t help but share a small smile at his friend’s antics.

“We’re going to fly are we? And how are we going to do that when you only have one wing? I don’t remember hearing you stealing an aircraft when you deserted, be realistic Gen.”

Genesis frowned, pulled Angeal by the elbow closer towards him and ruffled the feathers on his enormous wing.

“Hold on and I’ll show you, Hewley.”

Angeal once again chuckled at the use of his last name, something Genesis only did when he was annoyed.

Angeal started to grab at Genesis but stopped, “Uh… Where do I hold on to?”

Genesis laughed as he saw is partner’s lightly flushed face and pulled his arms around his neck, he tried to take off but a sudden pull stopped him.

“What is it now?”

“Are you going to be able to fly without dropping me? I’m not even sure if you can fly at all, let alone carry another person whilst doing so.”

“Oh just shut up and just hold on will you?”

Genesis shut his wing against his back and with one great sweep they were both in the air, the former SOLDIER groaned at the weight settling on his neck and shoulders.

“You’re a lot heavier than you look, Hewley.”

“Shut up, Rhapsodos.”

The sight of the flying figure was obscured by the night sky, his dark wing settling into the scenery around it as they flew towards the coast of the western continent. Angeal felt himself start to slip and grabbed the collar of the leather coat in his right hand, slipping his left around Genesis’ waist to grab onto the material clinging to his partner’s back. It was quiet and peaceful in the air, nothing could be heard but the wind around them and Angeal realised just how much he had missed the fiery redhead.

Although the sudden drop was terrifying, Angeal clenched his jaw and silenced himself from saying anything about the swaying to his childhood friend.

“Genesis,” Angeal called over the noise of the wind, “where are we going?”

“Banora, of course.”


	3. Home Sweet Home

 

_SEVERAL DAYS LATER_

By now, Angeal had acquired enough information on Project G to understand why Genesis was so angry with the Company; the main development that bothered him however was degradation. A slow process of eventual death, Angeal all but wanted that for his beloved friend. He agreed to stay by Genesis’ side through the ordeal, taking upon settling some conditions to make sure Genesis knew exactly where he stood in the ordeal.

Angeal would not act out against Shinra unless a reason came forth, and he would also not endanger anyone else to gain information for their cure. Honour came first in every stance according to the SOLDIER.

Angeal was ultimately fearful for his best friend’s life, and although he was also fearful for his own, Genesis’ welfare was put above his selfish desires.

The journey to Banora was a long one and Genesis and Angeal, after flying from Wutai onto the western continent, decided that taking any means of normal transport would be better off. There were times when they would have to completely avoid any contact in villages as Shinra had spread the news of their disappearances.

“Thank Minerva, we’re here.”

The small town of Banora hadn’t changed since they were last here as young teenagers, Genesis looked cryptically at the road ahead whereas Angeal examined the dumbapples hanging above their heads. Both men continued to walk up the path, a large estate rested above the village below and Genesis froze, a look of hatred on his beautiful features.

“You should go ahead, I know you would like to see your mother.”

Angeal saw the way Genesis was looking at his old home and couldn’t bring himself to leave his friend alone with his past.

“Will you be alright?”

Genesis snorted with humour, “ _I’ll_ be fine.”

“Just remember, they aren’t the ones who betrayed you.”  
  
“Leave me be Hewley.”

Genesis walked toward the estate, his long red coat swaying behind him with the authoritative manner he so naturally possessed. Angeal stood as a statue in the courts, watching his friend and hoping that Genesis had enough wits to realise that his parents were not the enemy. He sighed and strode towards his own responsibilities, he supposed that if their fugitive status was not lifted soon, this could be the last time that he saw his mother. Perhaps she could explain some of this to him. 

 

* * *

 

Zack was preparing to depart in Tseng’s chopper, the Turks were to take him to Banora and with Tseng’s help they would hopefully locate Genesis and Angeal.

The newly promoted first class SOLDIER was fed up with the prospect that Angeal was a ‘fugitive,’ that was not the man he knew at all.

“Zackary, are you ready to leave?”

Tseng’s calm features appeared in Zack’s vision and the experienced Turk helped the man climb aboard.

“Ready as I’ll ever be I suppose.”

 

* * *

  

The warehouse was covered in dust by the time Angeal arrived; the spot Genesis told them to meet was out of sight and therefore a great advantage. A sigh escaped Angeal’s chapped lips as he thought about how long it had been since Genesis and he arrived, and most importantly, how long Genesis had been missing. Talking to his parents shouldn’t have taken so long and Angeal knew that there must have been some difficulties, but the expression upon his friend’s face said something much worse.

“What took so long?” Angeal took of his gloves and threw them onto a nearby crate, watching as Genesis did the same and stared blankly at his hands.

“I couldn’t stop myself.”

The pounding within Angeal’s broad chest stopped, “what?”

“I couldn’t… And they shouldn’t have-“

Genesis’ rambling was cut short as Angeal jogged the short way to his friend’s side, “Genesis. What happened?”

The words, so simple, yet so horrifying, echoed through the metal structure.

A shaky breath misted from Genesis’ parted lips and he lifted his gaze to the Mako glare inflicted upon him.

“I did what I had to.”

Angeal’s bare fist plummeted into the hard jaw in front of him and Genesis staggered backwards with his head lowered and bangs falling into his eyes.

“They were your parents!” Angeal’s shadow covered the ground before him, darkening the red figure. The larger man ignored the look of vulnerability in front of him, thinking of the worst situation and blaming himself for not accompanying his distraught friend.

Genesis refused to meet Angeal’s gaze, “No, they weren’t! They betrayed me, just as my biological parents did!”

Angeal gathered his thoughts together and breathed in deeply to calm his nerves.

“Even if they weren’t your biological parents, did that mean they didn’t care for you? They were always there for you! Blood doesn’t mean anything Genesis!”

“They sanctioned my experiments! It didn’t matter to them whether my life was to be held by Shinra, and they certainly didn’t care that I was made a monster!”

“Did they know the full extent of our situation? Did you even let them explain?”

Genesis bowed his head once more; Angeal’s Mako gaze was unsettling him to no extent.

“I… They told me that Shinra payed them for their silence. They told me that the experiments were done while I in the womb, and they told me that we were both to join SOLDIER, no matter the consequences.”

“How did they know it was processed in the foetal stage, if they weren’t your parents?”

Genesis slowly knelt on the cement floor, lowering his head into his hands.

“Don’t… They told me-“

“They still want to protect you Genesis, they lied for your sake!”

Genesis raised his head from his shaking hands, “What have I done?“

The redhead looked up to Angeal if waiting for an answer, he could see that Genesis was distraught and his chest flooded with emotion. He wanted to protect Genesis, to tell him that it was all a mistake, but he couldn’t bring himself to even move knowing what his friend had done.

A sharp pain shot through Angeal’s back and he groaned, Genesis looked up at him from his place on the ground and sadly lowered his eyes again. Angeal’s right arm stated to twitch and using his instincts he tried to look at the spectacle forming behind his back. Another pained moan gave way as he turned his neck, Angeal suddenly felt the pain leave his body as a new shadow appeared on the floor.

Genesis stood up and closed the distance between them, extending his wing and relishing in the differences between them.

“So it’s finally happened.”

Angeal blinked, not wanting to turn and acknowledge the new addition he so obviously knew to be there. Instead, he lowered his burning blue eyes to the floor and stared at the contrasting shadows beneath them, he couldn’t choke out the words he needed to say and instead stayed silent.

There was a long pause before Genesis spoke again, “I think we both need to be alone, for a while at least.”

 

* * *

  

Zack had reached the inner parts of Banora quickly, the town was small and easy to navigate which gave the scouting team an advantage.  
“So this is Angeal’s home town huh?”

Zack’s gaze stopped on a small house surrounding the town square, “it’s pretty, that’s for sure.”

The SOLDIER walked to the front door of every house nearby, searching and asking questions to the villagers inside. He shook his head with growing impatience as he stopped at the next small house and knocked on the door.

“Hello? Is anyone here?”

Another knock bellowed through the small house and a feminine call echoed back at him, “Who is it?”

The kind voice made Zack smile, growing up in a small town himself had made him sentimental about the whole venture.

“My name is Zack Fair, I came here looking for someone and I was wondering if you had some information.”

“Zack Fair, the puppy?”

The door opened to reveal a woman with greying hair and kind features, “Yes, you look just as my son described.”

Zack’s eyebrows rose to the top of his head, “you’re Angeal’s mother? Well that was lucky of me.”

They both exchanged a brief smile and the woman let her guest inside.

“Please, take a seat young man.”

“Uh, thank you Mrs Hewley.”

Zack sat down as the old woman laughed and joined him at the small dinning table.

“Please, just call me Gillian, I’m afraid I’m getting quite touchy about my age these days.”

Zack kindly laughed with her, completely forgetting for a moment that he was on a mission and searching for her fugitive son no less.

“Well to get to the point, I’m actually looking for your son. You see he’s been missing for some time and I’d like to help him.”

Gillian looked the boy in front of her up and down, the description that Angeal had given her was so actuate she felt like she had known the young man in front of her for years. She could imagine the smiling SOLDIER and her son getting along just fine.

“Do you really want to help him?”

Zack looked taken back for a split second, and ran a hand through his long spiked hair with a weary grin.

“More than anything ma’am.”

 

* * *

  

Angeal sat for some time trying to retract his wing, and although the change had been a surprise, he quickly adjusted. He supposed the knowledge of the inevitable event had helped with the shock, along with the comfort of Genesis also having the alien attachment.

Both fugitives soon got over their differences and although Genesis listened to a lengthy lecture on honour, they returned to the graves of Genesis’ parents as if nothing happened. Angeal still couldn’t imagine how his friend could have done such a cold-hearted act, but Genesis’ regret showed plainly on his face and though he would not admit it, he was feeling terribly guilty.

On their return to the estate, Genesis found the twin fresh graves dug up, as if someone had searched them.

“Who the hell-“

“Shh!”

Angeal heard the heavy blades of a helicopter above them and grabbed Genesis’ arm to drag him towards the now abandoned estate. A moment later, a Shinra helicopter passed above them, wearing the signature sign of the Turks on the exterior.

“It seems they finally found us.”

Angeal frowned at his partner’s statement, he saw the black helicopter steer its way to the entrance of the small town and land nearby.

“We have to move.”

“And where do you suppose we go from here?”

Angeal was frustrated, getting out of town before the Turk’s confrontation was a hard enough task let alone thinking of a place to hide.

“To the warehouse, and from there we go to Hollander.”

Angeal nodded at Genesis swiftly and started to walk down the path leading into the town square.

“I need to see her before we leave Genesis, I’ll meet you at the warehouse after.”

Genesis exhaled with exaggerated force, but after looking into his friend’s eyes and thinking of his earlier actions, he agreed.

“Fine, but I’m coming with you.”

“Afraid I might leave?”

Genesis opened his mouth to respond but was instead stood in defeat of Angeal’s words. He was indeed afraid he would leave.

Angeal stared after the redhead as he suddenly burst open his wing and flew into the town centre. The thought of Genesis relying on him gave Angeal such motivation that he nearly leapt into the air after him.

Angeal had little use of his wing yet, and the thought of suddenly testing it out didn’t appeal to him. Instead, the muscular man ran down the path after his friend and hoped they hadn’t been spotted.

 

* * *

 

Zack had just received news of the bomb squads steadily approaching, he thought of his mentor and what the bigger man would do in his position. A sudden factor occurred to Zack, his hands fell limp at his sides as he took in the new thought.

“Oh no.”

Zack sprinted towards the town square, it was awfully quiet and the young SOLDIER suspected the town’s folk were avoiding any Shinra contact. With a clumsy skid on the dirt, Zack stopped outside the door of his mentor’s old house.

“Mrs Hewley?”

Zack cracked open the door, not waiting for a response and focusing on being as quick as possible. The escape had to go smoothly in order to get out in time, the bombings had been held off by Tseng’s forces, but not for long.

“Gillian?”

There was no response, and Zack saw why once he stepped inside the small building. A gasp escaped his lips, the woman he was just about to rescue was lying on the ground as if she were a discarded doll.

“Mrs Hewley!“

Zack flung his body forward with regained force but was stopped when a firm hand rested on his shoulder.

“Its no use, she’s already gone.”

The familiar voice made Zack’s brain go numb, he stared at the bundle of limbs on the floor and finally snapped.

“How could you?”

Zack’s arm flung around and pushed his mentor’s hand off his shoulder, there was a dawning silence as a fist flew at Angeal’s face. The bigger man stumbled from the hit and landed outside of his former home, regaining his composure with a grim look on his face.

“She was your mother!”

Zack’s arms were flailing around in the air, his right hand hit his forehead and slowly slid down to his neck while he continued to speak.  
“Why did you do it? She cared for you!” Only silence followed, “answer me. Angeal!”

“My mother could not continue to live... And neither... Can the son...”

“What is that supposed to mean? Angeal!”

Zack’s loud explanations were silenced when another familiar face appeared before him, the wanted fugitive walked into the scene and stood in front of his grieving friend. If Zack didn’t know any better, he would have thought Genesis was trying to protect Angeal from him.

Genesis’ teeth bared with fury, “we monsters can’t belong in this world with you any longer, pup.”

Zack tried to step closer but a sudden wave of air took his breath away, a black wing was protruding from the redhead’s right shoulder. A few feathers fell around the three silent figures; Zack caught one and admired its rainbow hue in the sunlight.

“How…?”

“One couldn’t explain that to such a simple mind.”

Angeal’s gaze was still focused on the ground in thoughtful silence, Zack on the other hand was burning under the other SOLDIER’s gaze, which he promptly returned.

“Then explain it to me!” Zack desperately sought out Angeal’s gaze, “we can help you!“

“No, you can’t Zackary. I’m sorry...”

Zack pulled his hand back from where it was unconsciously reaching out for the older man. A grimace pulled at his young features and another crack echoed through the wind. Two white wings exited his mentor’s back sharply; Mako eyes blinked and tried to comprehend what was happening in front of him. The larger white wing fluttered with agitation, it’s smaller companion coming to a halt with the silence.

After his initial surprise, Zack squeezed his eyes shut with frustration.

“Why won’t you just explain this to me?”

The yelling finally died down, his voice cracking with the last few words spoken. Zack always thought of Angeal of something of a brother to him, seeing the older man acting so out of character was terrifying. He so desperately wanted to believe that the limp body lying inside the house five feet away was not of his mentor’s actions.

He so desperately wanted to help him.

“In time, Zack.”

His name was said with some fondness, and Angeal’s throat tightened with a wide variety of emotions. Fixing things now; their cure, the company, their lost friendships, would surely be impossible now.

Genesis’ red leather coat swirled around his feet as he turned and grabbed his partner’s arm, taking into the air and pulling Angeal along with him. Feathers fluttered around Zack as he gazed up at the sight, he caught a black feather in hand and held it in a strangling grip. He dropped the crumpled memento and strode outside of the town’s centre, wondering how he was going to explain this to Sephiroth on his return.


	4. Project E

Angeal and Genesis had landed in sombre silence on the grassy hills of Mideel, the days events having a gruelling effect on both men. Angeal looked over the edge of the horizon at the fading sun, the burnt image of his student’s broken expression filling his vision.

Genesis disappeared down the steep side of the hill and Angeal remained in his wake. He wondered what would happen were he to leave to await his inevitable death alone. His mind wandered on multiple outcomes but settled on one conclusion, he could not leave his friend amidst all of this. It was too complicated, the thought of leaving Genesis alone to deal with his death hurt Angeal too much for words.

Angeal trudged towards the edge of the hill where he saw his distressed friend enter a secluded house, the small town of Mideel could be seen hovering on the horizon some distance behind it.

He entered the house where he found Genesis laying his beloved sword on the small table, taking off his gloves to expose pale flesh and rocking back and forth on a squeaking chair. A presence filled the doorway in front of Angeal, he didn’t bother to look up to see who it was, he had already seen too many dishonourable things for a lifetime.

“I see you’re back, and with Angeal no less.”

No one responded to the cheery voice, and soon the plump figure of Hollander left the room completely, leaving the two friends alone once again.

Seeing that Genesis had no intention of moving anytime soon, Angeal quickly scouted the house and found an empty single bed. Even in its bare state Angeal thanked Gaia he had somewhere relatively comfortable to rest tonight. He laid down on the lumpy mattress and turned his thoughts off his distraught friend and onto their mission, _his_ mission.

_‘I’ll find a cure even if it kills me. I won’t sit and watch him die.’_

* * *

Angeal and Genesis had been travelling for three days by boat, sailing over a vast distance for what Genesis seemed to call a lost cause.

The poor sailor guiding the fishing boat had been easily bribed with a small amount of gill, promising to keep their location a secret lest he “lose his tongue” as the fiery redhead stated it. So far their travels on the swaying boat had been as bland as any Shinra cafeteria food, an analogy that brought a chuckle from Angeal’s lips on their second day travelling.

The endless and hypnotising swaying of the boat still hadn’t subsided in the slightest on the third day, Angeal looked over the rusting railing for the fiftieth time that day.

“We should be there soon.”

“Thank the Goddess for that.”

Genesis leaned against the railing and stared out at the open water, a faint trace of snow could be seen on the inclosing land.

“The Northern Continent, it’s been quite awhile since I’ve last been here.”

Angeal looked over the coast as he mentally ran through Hollander’s instructions one last time. The aging scientist had suspected to find their supposed cure within old research notes connected to Project S, an ominous collection of data he was sure to have been left in the Modeoheim research base. The information of Project S had greatly concerned both Angeal and Genesis, both wondering if their mysterious friend Sephiroth was connected to their experiments somehow. Genesis told himself that it wouldn’t be surprising to find out his unintentional involvement, but finding out the truth was a whole different reality.

Angeal still wasn’t trusting of the secretive scientist and wondered if they would even find the specified notes at the base.

A wave of doubt washed over him in that instant.

“Do you remember how to get to Modeoheim from the coast?”

A snort followed, the cold air escaping in a fog as it left the redhead’s lips.

“Of course I do.”

Angeal sighed, “Well, that’s something at least…”

 

* * *

 

The Modeoheim base was covered deep with snow, making it hard for both men to keep a fast pace while moving.

“Gen, Hurry up, I want to get back to the dock as soon as possible.”

“We just started up the mountain for Gaia’s sake!”

Angeal continued to trudge forward, his thick winter coat rushing through the sharp winds. Something seemed off to the redhead, he wanted to continue by his partner’s side but he physically couldn’t keep up with him.

He stopped as his footing was lodged deeper into the snow, and his loss of breath filled his head with air.

“Angeal!”

Snow covered feet appeared in front of him, filling Genesis’ vision with white as he sputtered for air.

“Genesis? What’s wrong?”

Angeal’s strong hand fell onto his friend’s shoulder during his sudden coughing fit and gently squeezed when a response hadn’t come forth. Genesis pulled his hand back from his mouth to find blood staining the black leather. He had suspected this, the deterioration to get worse just as Hollander told him, but nothing this early during the deterioration process should have occurred.

“It’s too soon…”

Angeal’s eyes narrowed and grabbed his friend’s wrist to find the dark liquid slowly dripping from his palm. His eyes widened and looked over Genesis, checking for injury out of habit.

He knew it wasn’t something as simple as that, something he couldn’t fix easily.

“Lets hurry, come on!”

Angeal pulled Genesis along by his bloodied hand and shielded him with his other arm from the howling wind, trying as he may to protect the heaving man.

Angeal knew the Modeoheim base was not far off, the outline of the cement roof could be seen over the peak of slopes within the mountainside. He started to move quicker, dragging a breathless Genesis with him until they reached a small side door of the compound. Genesis was leaning against the wired fence as Angeal began to pound into the metal door with a loud bang.

The door fell off its hinges and Angeal stumbled forwards with the sudden movement. Genesis staggered into the room and soon regretted his actions immediately. Ice was covering the floor, surrounding every crack and fissure on the walls and with a thump, the redhead fell onto his back. He whimpered as a cough left his lips with quite some force and tried to turn around on the ice. Angeal huffed in amusement, trying but failing to hide his concern behind a strong façade, he offered a hand to his fallen friend. They were standing face to face now, Genesis was so much paler since they had left Mideel, his hair frail and greying, his eyes lifeless. Worry washed over the bigger man, he should have done this alone, guilt flooded his chest as he watched his childhood friend straighten and offer a weary smile.

“I’m fine.”

Angeal sighed, knowing his friend’s stubborn nature, “if it gets worse, you come straight to me. Understood?”

Genesis laughed heartily and shook his red leather coat to let the snow fall across the iced floor.

“Yes commander Hewley.”

Genesis tried to mock salute but found himself holding onto the broad shoulders in front of him as his feet slid outwards on the ice.

Angeal chuckled and helped Genesis compose himself, “good.”

They both trode down the dark hallway, the ice thinning out as they walked down the path and into a much larger room. Medical equipment littered the floor along with a much larger variety of papers and files.

Angeal bent to pick one up.

“Project E? Didn’t Hollander say it was Project S?” His eyes narrowed as he saw Genesis’ expression darken completely.

“I swear to the Goddess, if he-“

“Calm down Gen, we might find something elsewhere.”

The two set off in different directions, sitting on the cold cement floor and sorting out papers with multiple mentions of Project E, but nothing of the ominous data on Project S they were searching for.

“This is hopeless.”

Angeal sighed, he hated to say it, but it did look hopeless and that was one of the many things Hollander would have to explain on their return.

“I’m going to check the other rooms, you keep searching here.”

Genesis groaned but did as he was asked and read through the notes concerning Project E and its many failures. He screwed up his nose when he passed a paragraph describing a very gruesome experiment on what he assumed to be a monster, or what he rather hoped to be a monster.

Angeal had been gone for at least twenty minutes once Genesis found a file in the corner of the dank room and glanced upon its messy contents. His expression went hard as he opened the file to see a photo of a young cadet, obviously taken out of Shinra records. His hands clenched around the file in a vice like grip as he finished looking over the pages.

Angeal came around the corner in that instant, eyes wide showing an unspeakable horror. The smaller soldier narrowed his eyes and automatically fisted his right hand, crumpling the papers holding the horrible information. Before Genesis could tell Angeal of his find amongst the files, a strained voice reached him.

“You...” Angeal hesitated, “you should probably see this.”

Genesis knew something was wrong, but as he followed the tense man down the narrow corridors into yet another room, he couldn’t get his mind off the information in his hands.

Metal grated flooring covered every inch of the room, the shelves coving the walls were exploding with more files and books that continued onto the floor. Stacked on metal tables were multiple scientific tools and medical equipment, some of which Genesis thought looked to cause pain, not healing. He would never be so reluctant to enter the science labs again; this place was hell compared to the whitewashed walls of the Shinra medical wards.

“It gets worse.”

Angeal didn’t turn to look at him, instead walked with his shoulders painfully straight and jaw clenched. They walked around the protruding stonewall on the far right of the room and Genesis then realised the extent to Shinra’s hazardous experiments.

Tanks lined the walls, all containing a different monster within them, the mutated creatures occasionally twitched but what was most prominent in the room were the two large Mako filled tubes to the left. Genesis walked over to the tubes and put a leather-clad hand on the glass, Angeal followed behind him and looked to the two figures, side by side in their glass prisons. The female was dressed in a large white tee shirt, covered with black stains of some sort, where as the male wore a pair of grey trousers.

“How long do you think they’ve been here? Along with all this.”

Angeal sounded disguised as he gestured to their surroundings, and when Genesis spoke, a sound of absolute malice escaped his lips.

“Project E has been running for five years, I read it in one of the files.”

Genesis’ hand slid from the glass confinement, the young woman suspended in what seemed to be pure Mako, had an emotionless expression on her face. He flicked open the file he still clenched in his hand and handed the desired pages to his stunned friend.

“It’s her, she’s the one in the profile. They’re reports from Shinra, I’m not sure who knows about this but I certainly don’t remember any files going missing on the mainframe.”

Angeal paused with thought.

“Since when do we accept female cadets?”

Angeal seemed plain confused, and Genesis also wondered about the prospect.

“Maybe I’m wrong, but she looks exactly like the cadet in this report, and I don’t believe in coincidences Angeal. It says she enlisted as a Ryley Faulkner four years ago.”

Angeal looked at the picture of a smiling cadet with dark brown eyes and a shaggy hairstyle that covered pale skin. Angeal recognised many features from the cadet profile before him, the same nose, lips, and face shape were all very prominent. Her hair had changed from a deep black to a pale blue and grown down to her mid back. It floated around her face and Angeal caught a glimpse at her blue lips, it looked as if she had frostbite.

“And what about him?”

Genesis was now examining the tank next to the woman which contained a lanky yet muscular male, he had dark hair and his face was adorned with freckles. Angeal wondered if he too had been a cadet.

“I didn’t find any information concerning him, although in the experimental reports they never used the name Ryley Faulkner... Perhaps they’ve been given names to suit the project?”

They stood there, side by side with shoulders just barely touching until Genesis once again broke the silence.

“What are we going to do with them?”

Angeal sighed, “we should get them out of there for starters.”

“And just how do we do that?”

“I don’t know.”

Angeal started to search through a section of the switches on the large switchboard behind them, carefully avoiding anything that could otherwise make the situation worse.

“We could always break the glass.”

“And injure them more?”

Genesis looked over the man in front of him, large scars littered his arms and a particular large crisscross in the centre of his chest caught the redhead’s attention. He then grimly wondered if the woman had similar scars, the idea of accidently hurting them in any way after such torture seemed diabolical.

_‘They look so young…’_

“I found something.”

Angeal flicked a small switch on the table and a red light enveloped the room from a globe near the Mako tanks, the bubbling liquid inside slowly started to drain out through the vents in the floor.

“Angeal?”

“What is it?”

The taller man quickly strode over to Genesis, openly showing the worry in his handsome features. The whole situation had put both soldiers on edge, but seeing such worry openly displayed on Angeal made Genesis as equally worried as his companion.

“I don’t think we should be doing this.”

Angeal looked over both of the fragile figures; they seemed very thin yet their muscles defined, something that came with the exposure of Mako.

“Keep your sword ready, if they attack or are in shock then we need to be ready.”

Genesis nodded, first going over to the woman’s tank and pressing the large yellow button on the switch pad. The glass door slid to the side of the tank, releasing the smell of chemicals and stale air into the cold room.

The girl didn’t move, and Genesis wondered if she was still alive. He swiftly removed his right glove and checked her pulse, finding a steady but weak beat. Pulling her arms free from the leather confines in the tank, he lifted her off of the platform and gently placed the shivering girl against the wall.

Angeal quickly checked the girl and found that her hands were twitching from the remaining stasis, but otherwise she seemed in no great danger. The large SOLDIER set his precious sword against the opposite wall and moved in front of the second tank where he released the pale man inside.

Angeal was caught by surprise as he was shifting the lifeless weight in his arms, suddenly he found himself on the ground and standing above him, a dark eyed creature that surely could not have once been a man.

_“We’re monsters Angeal, nothing more and nothing less.”_

Genesis’ words echoed in his head as he rolled over to where he had placed the buster sword.

Genesis had already caught sight of what was going on, he grabbed his rapier and swung the red blade in a large circle as his opponent jumped back. Two large black wings sprouted from the man’s bare back, Angeal’s eyes widened as he confirmed the wings to those belonging to a bat.

“Genesis, move!”

The flat side of the buster sword hit the winged man in his shoulder and a howl escaped his lips as he hit the floor. Angeal was in the process of lowering his weapon when he saw the glow of red enter the man’s eyes.

His breath caught, ‘ _this is a demon, not a man.’_

Angeal swung his heavy sword but missed as the demon dodged and rolled towards the young woman still laying unconscious on the floor. The demon’s large wings opened wide across the room and Genesis released a Firaga spell in the demon’s direction, burning the expanse of his smooth wings. Angeal moved in and delivered a deep slash across the back of the demon, swinging his foot under the already falling figure to push him flat on his face. A viscous snarl was on the demon’s face as he lay on the floor, his body expanding and constricting abnormally in various places. Genesis swiftly moved over the squirming figure and sunk his blade deep into the neck of the man. His movement stopped and the red in his eyes slowly faded, returning to the black they were before.

“What the hell was that?”

Angeal looked speechlessly at the body on the ground, readying his sword once again as the figure started to violently cough and heave. It continued for some time until after a particularly large heave rendered an object from the man’s throat. He lay limp on the floor again and Genesis twisted the red sword still embedded in the creature to make sure he was indeed dead.

Angeal lowered his gaze to the ground.

“Materia?”

The redhead pulled his sword free from its victim and grabbed the materia off the concrete floor.

“Summon Materia.”

He quickly placed the materia onto his sword where it melted into the red surface of the blade, leaving a soft red glow.

“Diablos summon materia to be more exact.”

Angeal looked mortified, his fists clenched around the handle of the buster blade at the mere thought of the experiments that took place in icy room.

“Look around you Angeal, this is Shinra at its finest. You saw what just happened, that man turned into something that wasn’t human, something that you and I only thought was a simple summon used in the feat of battle. The scientists of Shinra are playing with something that they shouldn’t be.”

Angeal placed the buster sword onto his back once more.

“I never could have imagined…”

Angeal’s gaze lowered to the bloodied man beneath him and Genesis briefly put a hand on his friend’s shoulder for support before returning to the unconscious girl behind them.

“Do you think she will be the same?”

The redhead looked like a war was waging in his head, an internal conflict that would last for hours if Angeal didn’t say something.

“She hasn’t done anything yet, we’ll have to take her with us and keep an eye on her. We certainly can’t leave her here after what we’ve discovered.”

Angeal walked over to the unconscious girl and lifted her into his arms, he looked weary of her presence, but not overly so.

“You collect all the files that you think could be of use and I’ll go find her some warmer clothes. Be at the main entrance to the building in ten minutes.”

Genesis stayed in the wake of the floating monsters for some time before following Angeal out to the file-cramped room, in an odd way he seemed at peace here. He was not alone in this room, not the only monstrosity that had claimed to be a human being once.

Perhaps he could rectify things.


	5. Conscious

Genesis had finished collecting the files he found necessary, putting the large stack of papers in an old rucksack he found in the last dreaded room. The redhead could feel the chill of the ice underneath his boots as he made his way down the iced hallway and to the main entrance of the Modeoheim base. He swung the bag of files over his shoulder and grumbled when a number of papers fell to the floor beneath him. He quickly picked up the lost notes and shoved them inside his coat pocket as he nodded in reassurance to the man in front of him.

“I’ve collected as many as I could, the rest look like notes on the other experiments.”

Angeal grimaced at the thought of the twisted creatures he so desperately wanted to forget, his mind filled with flashes of Mako tanks and fanged monsters. He looked down to the girl in his arms and tightened his grip protectively around her, thinking of the possible experiments that could have taken place on her made him despair.

He sighed and looked to his friend for comfort.

“I managed to find her some warmer clothes, although I’m not sure if they’re enough in this storm.”

“Storm?”

Genesis looked down the remainder of the hall and out the doorway to see a powerful snowstorm pushing at the barbed fence surrounding the building.

The pale girl was wrapped in spare lab coats found on the premises, her legs now covered by a military grade jumpsuit and a thick blanket surrounding the rest of her trembling figure. He too thought the girl wasn’t properly equipped for such an endeavour.

“Is there nothing else?”

“I checked the whole building, this was it.”

The blanket fell down from the girl’s shoulder and Genesis moved to wrap it more securely around her. The girl was still shaking considerably and the stasis was still in control of her body.

“We can’t stay here any longer, the sun is setting and we don’t have nearly as many provisions as we should have brought with us in the first place.”

Angeal grimly nodded, “We’ll have to move quickly.”

Genesis’ form started to retreat but Angeal turned and called him back with a sudden realisation.

“This doesn’t make sense, she shouldn’t be cold at all.”

Genesis cocked an eyebrow in amusement, “Angeal, there’s a snowstorm outside, of course she’s going to be cold.”

Angeal shook his head in spite of himself, it did sound like a stupid statement when he said it out of nowhere.

“I don’t know how long she was in that tank, but there’s definitely a large amount of Mako in her system; it should have regulated her temperature.”

Genesis’ eyes narrowed, that was a fair argument, both he and Angeal could withstand extreme colds such as this with only the light coats they now wore.

No one said anything for several moments until finally Angeal shifted towards the door.

“We’ll figure out the details later.”

Angeal looked down to the girl in his arms and gently pulled her closer to his chest before looking up to his friend and nodding.

Genesis led the way into the fierce snowstorm, trudging through the deep expanse of the snow with his loyal friend continuing to carry a heavy burden for them both.

 

* * *

  

It took near 40 minutes for the two deserters and their new companion to reach the docks once more, by this time Genesis had started to cough fiercely into his leather palm once again. Angeal looked to his friend, about to ask him is he was okay but Genesis saw this coming and nodded his head. The bigger man moved to their unconscious guest, with her small body curled up on the fisherman’s small boat, Angeal thought she looked especially delicate and started to worry. He walked the small distance to her side and placed a hand on her forehead, wiping back thick blue locks to feel her cold and sweating skin.

He looked over to Genesis who had stopped his coughing and now looked on curiously, Angeal shook his head.

“We need to get her back to Hollander as soon as we can.”

Genesis sighed and looked over to the old man in fishing garb turning the wheel at the hull.

“Hey, what did you say your name was again?”

Genesis yelled over the sloshing waves to gain the fisherman’s attention, the man visibly sighed and turned the boat further into the waves.

“Bloody hell boy how many times do I have to tell you? It’s Pete.”

Genesis’ scowled and stood up from his position against the railing.

“No need to get picky. How long is it to Mideel? We’re in a hurry.”

“With this kind of weather, it’ll at least take 3 days, and that’s if we’re lucky.”

“You’re kidding…”

Angeal paced over to Genesis and the worry on his face showed as he clenched his fists by his sides.

“We’ll have to take shifts this time round, to check on the girl.”

Genesis nodded, he wasn’t exactly happy about having that kind of responsibility but he could see the anger in Angeal’s eyes when they spoke about the Modeoheim base and the experiments involved.

“What do we call her anyway? I’m sick of referring to her as ‘the girl’.”

Angeal chuckled and grabbed onto the railing as the boat lunged forward.

“Her papers had Ryley Faulkner on them, so I suppose that’s what we’ll call her until we’re told otherwise.”

Genesis looked over to the tangles of blue hair and blankets, “Fine, I’ll watch Faulkner on the first shift then, you rest.”

Angeal shared a small smile, he had noticed both Genesis and himself were becoming protective of the mysterious cadet, even in such a small amount of time. The tall man walked to the side of the boat, sat on the floor and leaned against the railing, still wondering why this was. It all came down to the fact that they had something in common; their lives had been affected by Shinra, the experiments branching of the company, and had somehow found themselves together.

Angeal smiled as he fell asleep.

 

* * *

  

It had been three days on the swaying boat once again; Angeal woke in the early morning to find Genesis sitting back against the bench where Ryley was resting with his precious Loveless novel hanging from his hands. He watched Genesis in his peaceful sleep, noticing his greying hair and paling features, he looked weaker. Angeal too could feel the degradation settling in, Genesis had pointed out a few grey hairs the day before and made petty jokes about old age. He was trying to comfort Angeal, to take off the pressure and the taller man knew it, he was grateful for it.

Angeal went over and pushed him slightly once he saw the protrusion of incoming land.

“Gen, wake up.”

Genesis grumbled as a hard boot nudged him in his side.  
“Next time can you not kick me, Hewley?” Angeal scoffed at his nickname and pointed to glassy hills that could now be seen clearly over the edge of the boat.

“Thank Minerva…”

Genesis stood by Angeal as the grumbling sailor announced they were about to dock. Angeal moved to pick up Ryley but Genesis stopped him and picked her up himself, carefully grabbing her up by under her arms and knees with her head lolled backwards.

They walked onto the shore and quickly made their way over the steep hills separating the coast from the country. A moment later Genesis stopped in his tracks with wide eyes, tightening his grip on Ryley and shouting out to Angeal.

“What is it?” Angeal rushed over to his friend to find Ryley’s head twisting and a mumbling escaping her lips.

He leaned in closer but still couldn’t make out the words.

“I’m not sure what she’s saying, lets hurry back to Hollander.”

Genesis continued to walk but stopped again once the sleepy eyes below him opened, revealing dark coloured irises before they slowly drifted shut again.

“I think she’s starting to come out of the stasis Angeal.”

Angeal turned his gaze back to the spectacle whilst still walking towards the direction of Hollander’s hideout.

“We better hurry then, because I won’t know what to do once she does.”

They started walking as fast as they possibly could, following into a slight jog every now and then until they finally reached the worn house hidden in the hills.

They burst into the house and Angeal went to find Hollander as Genesis went into the closest room and placed Ryley down on the small bunk.

Hollander and Angeal rushed into the room soon after, the old professor walked around the bunk to look at the stasis induced girl.

“This is not what I expected.”

Genesis turned to Hollander in disbelief, “You didn’t know this was happening?”

Hollander shook his head, “I had heard about Project E but I never thought it was a success. I never even knew it was carried out.”

The professor scoffed and shook his head, “Hojo at work once again.”

“Hojo isn’t the only sick scientist around here. Be mindful of that or I’ll have to beat it into you.”

Genesis’ features darkened considerably and Hollander stiffened at his words, quickly refocusing his attention on his new subject. He lifted a closed eyelid to check her eyes, measured her temperature and once again stood shocked.

“She’s considerably cold for the temperature here in Mideel.”

“That’s why we left the blankets on her.”

Angeal followed Hollander out the room and into the small dusty basement where the scientist collected a few items and returned to Genesis’ impatient form.

“I’ll need to take some tests.”

Genesis grabbed for the back of the lab coat worn by the old man and pulled him closer.

“This isn’t going to be the same as the little misunderstanding we had, is it professor?”

Hollander shook his head, “not at all.”

Genesis avoided Angeal’s questioning glare as he thought about the copies that Hollander had made, had spread out into the world in order to destroy Shinra’s work. A look of malice appeared as he remembered the discussion where Hollander admitted to making extra copies to kill his rival Hojo. The thought of the man dead didn’t affect Genesis in the slightest, but the idea of his own DNA being used for someone else’s will unsettled him.

Hollander collected his few samples and returned to the basement once again, leaving Angeal and Genesis to sit and brood on the last week’s events.

 

* * *

  

_3 DAYS LATER_

Genesis had degraded considerably since the time they had returned to Mideel, Hollander said that his was not expected, which in turn worried Angeal to no end. Genesis had been lying on the spare bunk since their return, refusing to eat anything Angeal considered to be wholesome and brooding about his past. The sight upset Angeal too much to enter the room anymore.

He decided to check up on Ryley, he walked into the room and stopped when he saw the bed empty. He ran around the furthest side of the bunk where he found the small girl laying on the floor and trying to push herself up from the floor. She was still wearing the beige jumpsuit they found in Modeoheim, her feet bare and pale against the stone floor.

“Are you alright?”

She jumped as if something had bitten her and Angeal stood back against the wall to provide her with some space. Her mouth opened and closed, her mind and body swaying as she found the right words.

“W-Who?”

Angeal swallowed, he didn’t want to have to be the one to explain the situation to the confused girl.

“My name is Angeal Hewley.”

The girl groaned as she gave up and lay on her back on the stone floor, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

He decided to take action upon her settling, he walked very slowly to her side and knelt to her level.

“My partner and I found you, do you remember that?”

Ryley shook her head very slowly from side to side.

“We brought you back here to look after you. You’re safe here.”

It took several long moments before she could respond.

“Am I… Dreaming?”

Angeal smiled sadly, “no, this is all real.”

A long relieved sigh escaped Ryley’s blue lips, her eyes opened and settled on the man in front of her, her eyes focused at the strange sight.

“Commander?”

Angeal slowly took hold of her hand to show her he was there, after a minute of silence and her adjusting to the touch he gently picked her up from the ground and placed her back on the bunk with ease.

Angeal wanted to ask her so many questions; was she really a cadet? How old is she? How did she get involved in all this mess?

He decided it was too early however.

“You need to rest.” He hesitated to leave, bringing his hand down slowly on hers before he started out of the room.

“W-Wait.”

Angeal turned to her voice and listened carefully as to not mishear her silent speech.

“Luther. W-where is-”

Her voice cracked and she coughed, closing her eyes and setting her head down on the lumpy pillow beneath her.

“Luther...”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

It was already too late, she had fallen asleep once again and Angeal sighed, he better go tell Hollander about her sudden appearance.


	6. Amnesia

Angeal had almost immediately told Hollander about Ryley’s awakening, only briefly stopping to shout into his shared room with Genesis.

“Genesis, get up.”

The redhead stirred and mumbled, his coat hanging limply off the side of the small bunk as he stared at the wall where his sword was leaning. It was truly a depressing sight.

“Now!”

“Fucking Minerva Hewley, just leave me in peace.”

Angeal walked past his own bunk by the door and stood in front of the moping figure. Scowling down at the pale man, his grey hair lifeless and without the shine it usually possessed. Angeal realised that his appearance was slowly starting to crack; small fractures of skin were covering his neck.

He lowered his voice and pushed back the hovering thought of death.

“Ryley’s awake.”

Genesis frowned at the news but still didn’t move from his curled position on the bed.

“Get up before I drag you, you’ve been hiding in this room too long already.”

A sigh followed, “fine.”

 

* * *

 

The three tired men stood around the small bunk, looking down at the frail girl’s deceitfully peaceful expression. Hollander moved to her side and shook her shoulder, waiting until her eyes slowly opened and blinked the remaining sleep from them. She seemed confused once more, but upon seeing Angeal she slightly relaxed, that was until she saw Hollander’s attire.

Blue hair flew in front of Ryley’s face as she abruptly sat up and pressed her back against the brick wall, trying as she may to put as much distance she could between them.

“Get away! Or I swear you’ll regret it!”

Heavy breathing was pounding out of her blue tinged lips, her pale hands curled into fists and the rest of her figure stiff and ready to pounce. Hollander noticed a small frost escaping her mouth as she breathed and made a mental note of the bizarre sight. It was summer in Mideel yet the cold seemed to follow this girl like a shadow.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you.”

Ryley’s jaw clenched at Hollander’s casual statement, not taking any comfort from his words.

“That’s what the others said.”

Angeal shivered at her words, signalling Hollander to back away from the frightened girl.

Ryley turned her gaze to the mysterious man in the redcoat, he was leaning against the wall on her right and not paying much attention to the scene before him. He looked familiar somehow and her breath caught once more with anxiety.

“Tell me what’s happening. Where I am? And who the hell are you people?”

“I spoke to you before-“

“Y-yes, I know who you are.” She coughed and clutched at her chest before regaining her breath, “Who are these people?”

“This is my partner Genesis Rhapsosdos, we found you at the Modeoheim base together.”

Ryley recognised the name, the red commander of SOLDIER, someone to be feared, as it was so rumoured around the Cadet Dorms. The redhead looked up from the floor and offered her a nod in acknowledgement.

“And this is Professor Hollander, he’s... helping us.”

“What a strange-”

Ryley’s sentence was cut off as she rubbed her forehead and grumbled something under her breath. Broken memories flashed through her head as she thought about the Modeoheim base, the labs, the experiments. She couldn’t help herself from uttering a curse as her eyes started to swell with tears.

Angeal quickly walked out the room and returned with a glass of water, which he offered to her with a sympathetic smile.

Hollander spoke up next, “I hate to say it, but I’m going to need to ask you some questions. The tests-“

Ryley nearly chocked on her water as she heard the words, “What tests?”

Hollander moved away from his spot near the doorway and tried to move closer to the bundle of blankets and blue hair in front of him.

“We’re hoping that your cells may provide us with-“

“Hollander. She’s been conscious for under an hour, let her breathe.”

Angeal walked over to the bedside and crossed his arms over his broad chest, glaring at the professor as he left the room with a grumble.

“If you have any questions, now would be your time.”

Genesis spoke up from the corner, his bright blue eyes flashing over the young girl with curiosity and returning to the floor. He wondered why she had not fought back like their last rescue had at the Modeoheim base, what had been different?

Ryley’s eyes started to swell and tears fell down her pale cheeks, she tried desperately to blink them away but to no avail. She covered her head in her arms, trying as she may to escape the gaze of her former superiors.

“I’m confused… Why I am here? A-and with you two?”

Angeal didn’t know where to start, so he thought back to what the girl might remember.

“Ryley,” She jumped at the name, “What’s the last thing you remember, before all this?”

Blue hair fell over her shoulders and hid her face from view, but her answer was clear throughout the room.

“So many things… to remember. I don’t know anymore.”

“Do you remember Shinra?”

She nodded and a wail escaped her quivering throat, Angeal put a hand on her shaking back for comfort but was violently pushed away.

“I remember that-that sadistic scientist! And h-his sick fucking smile.”

Her voice was shaking so harshly with malice that Angeal could feel his chest constrict with anger himself.

“And you,” She looked up to Angeal with dark watering eyes, “I remember you.”

Angeal blinked, “We’ve met me before?”

“I-I was supposed to, the day you took them and I missed the train.”

She hiccupped and her shaking hands pulled the blankets around her shoulders for comfort.

“Them?”

“The other cadets…”

Genesis suddenly caught interest in the conversation, “the cadets training for the SOLDIER exams? You made it that far?”

She started to break down in that moment, threading her fingers into her messy hair and squeezing for dear life.

“I-I don’t know... Maybe, I can’t-“

“Its okay, please calm down, it’s safe now.”

Angeal soothed her over and Genesis looked over the scene with an aching heart. He was being so selfish, thinking of the blood on his hands, his past faults, his detachment from humanity. The redhead realised he wasn’t the only one who thought of their past with an aching head, he wasn’t the only one who now thought of themselves as a monster.

Genesis was ashamed to think of the way he had been acting the past few days and a painful realisation hit him with a wince. There would be nothing to be ashamed of soon, he would be gone.

Angeal would be gone.

Genesis straightened himself, deciding he couldn’t stand and do nothing and strode out of the room with a clenched fist.

 

* * *

  

“Hollander.”

The redhead received no answer from within the dark basement and walked into a small light in the centre of the room.

“Hollander!”

The professor walked out from behind a stack of crates, carrying a small rucksack and none other than Ryley’s file in his hands.

“Genesis, what are you doing down here? I’m trying to work.”

“I’m getting quite impatient waiting for your results, professor.”

Genesis walked over to the opposite table and lifted a vial from it, slowly twirling it in his palm, “What haven’t you told me?”

“Why, I’ve told you everything possible.”

Genesis crushed the vial in his fist, the blood dripping from his leather gloves and onto the stone floor where it fell with the shattered glass.

“I don’t believe that.”

“Now Genesis, don’t-“

He was suddenly very close to the older man, clutching at his lab coat and threating to pull him off his feet.

“Don’t _what_ , professor?”

Hollander chuckled, “you need me to find the cure Genesis, what are you going to do?”

Genesis smirked, released Hollander and returned to the table where he picked up a small knife and held it out for inspection.

“I’m sure you won’t need all of your fingers to find a cure.”

Hollander’s eyes hollowed, he believed the former SOLDIER would indeed go through with his threat, he was on the edge of death after all. The aging professor looked at the knife with sudden panic, the redhead had changed on his return with Angeal from Banora. Something had happened, something had managed to push the man over the edge of insanity.

“I swear, I don’t have enough information, some papers are missing and it’s impossible to know what kind of cells they injected into that girl without the proper formulation.”

Genesis stared at the man, remembering the day they had rescued Ryley, her freezing body, Angeal’s tense form.

“I brought you all the papers that were relevant to her experiments. All that was in the base anyhow.”

“Well, I’m afraid it’s just not enough.”

Genesis froze, slowly reaching up and patting the right side of his coat pocket where a rustling was heard. He reached inside the inner pocket of his coat and pulled out some badly crumpled papers, shaking his head and offering them to the now smiling professor. Genesis didn’t say anything and instead turned for the door.

“Use those, and if there’s no improvement, I may believe your use has outrun itself my dear professor.”

 

* * *

  

Genesis told Angeal of his foolish mistake, who had in turn started to explain the situation in more detail to the shivering girl.

“Hopefully we’ll get more information out of him now.”

Angeal nodded and turned to face Ryley, “Do you have any questions for us?”

“So you’ve both deserted Shinra?”

Angeal nodded grimly once more.

“I suppose a lot has changed since…”

Genesis moved to her side and offered her a hand, she looked back up to him with confusion, flinching away from the implied contact.

“Would you like to go for a walk with me, Ryley?”

Angeal raised his eyebrows at the sudden change in his friend’s behaviour, wondering what could have possibly changed his attitude.

 

* * *

 

Ryley had taken the itchy blanket from the bed with her, dragging it along the dew-covered grass outside the building. They walked over a hill where Mideel could be seen through a thick layer of fog from the nearby ocean. The girl kept to herself, walking some distance away from her companion as he led the way to the peak of the hill to sit down.

Genesis made sure to keep a comfortable distance between him and the shivering girl next to him, aware of her anxious behaviour.

“Would you like my coat?”

She shook her head, joining him on the grass as the sun settled above them.

“No, I’m fine.”

Genesis knew it was a lie, the girl was obviously freezing, but decided against any action as she flinched at the smallest of movements. Ryley’s shivering figure didn’t fit in with the surroundings of Mideel, the warm sun and the calming breeze blowing through her hair, it was a wonder that she was cold at all.

They both looked over the horizon as the silence settled in; it was strangely comforting to Genesis.

“How much do you remember, Ryley?”

“My name isn’t Ryley…” He turned to look at her clouded eyes, “It’s…” She scowled and curled her fists in her hair as she thought.

“I can’t remember.”

Genesis turned to the welcoming presence of the sun and nodded.

“It’s all jumbled, I really can’t remember much... I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, it’s not your fault.”

“I suppose you’ll have to call me Ryley then.”

It was the first time he had seen her smile, and although it wasn’t one of genuine happiness, it made Genesis freeze at the sight.

 _‘Goddess,’_ He thought, _‘She’s something else.’_

“Well then Ryley, now that you’re free from your captors, what will you do?”

She looked at him suspiciously, “you mean, you’re going to let me leave?”

Genesis looked back to her with a frown, had Angeal not already told her this?

“Of course.”

“The commander said that I could help you both with something and I just assumed-“

“Assuming things is foolish, you’re free to leave whenever you want… You’ve been through enough already.”

“I wouldn’t know where to go, Sir.”

“Genesis is fine, you’re not a cadet anymore.”

She gulped, wondering where she would go if she were to leave. Ryley had nowhere to call home anymore, and even if she did, she certainly couldn’t remember.

Genesis cleared his throat, “if you’re lost, you can stay with us until you decide what to do.”

Ryley smiled and pulled the blanket closer around herself, thinking of the trouble that both men had already gone through to save her.

Her dark brows pulled together as she thought of their sudden appearance, it surely couldn’t be a coincidence.

_‘Maybe it was meant to be.’_

The worry left her eyes and she looked at Genesis with sudden determination.

“Then until that time, I’ll help you in whatever way I can.”


End file.
